Take My Hand
by altered phoenix light
Summary: Sara's cousin Casey comes to stay with her and Grissom because of a lot of stuff going on in her life, gets a job at the lab, and tries to make a new life for herself. But when a CSI falls for her, will she be able to love him in return? Rated T in case.
1. Arrival in Sin City

This idea's been burning in my brain for a long time now, so let's see how it works out. It's planned to be the first in a trilogy, and I hope it works that way. Special thanks to TDCSI for support for the idea. This crazy idea made you laugh? Really?

Basically, Sara's cousin Casey comes to live with her and Grissom because of a lot of stuff that's going on in her life. She begins a job at the lab and tries to make a new life for herself. But when another CSI begins to fall head over heels for her, will she to allow what's happening to happen…or will she let the best thing that has ever happened to her go away?

Remember to read and review, because it really makes my day…and constructive criticism always helps, so long as it's constructive and not just criticism.

* * *

Take My Hand

_Chapter 1: Arrival in Sin City_

The taxi pulled up to the curb and the young woman hopped out. She grabbed her two bags and then paid her fare. It left her standing in front of 1139 Pebble Drive. She hoped her cousin would let her stay. She _had_ to let her stay.

She was beautiful, with long red hair pulled back into a ponytail and intriguing chocolate-colored eyes. Her age was hard to guess but she did not look too far out of her teens.

She made it up the doorstep of Number 1139 but stopped. Everything was so different from what she was used to. It seemed so…normal.

She had no idea how she was going to tell Sara. She had no clue how her cousin would react. The reality was that this was the only place she had to go. She could not have kept living where she was and she was not stupid enough to stay out on the streets someplace. She had no other options; she never thought that she would have to scrounge a living in Sin City.

She had more than one good reason for coming here to Vegas. One was that her father and stepmother had finally done what they had been threatening to do since she had graduated at the age of sixteen: They had kicked her out of the house. Her biological mother wanted nothing to do with her, so she had no sympathies there. And the relationship she had been in…well, she had never had any choice but to get out of it. Although there was no time to dwell on any of that right now. All her energies had to go into convincing Sara to let her stay.

Her heart racing, her fingers trembling, she rang the doorbell.

* * *

Sara rolled over in bed and groaned as she heard the doorbell. Not even on her day off could she get a moment or two of peace. She had only been sleeping since six and it was now a little past nine. Quickly throwing on an old T-shirt and a pair of shorts that were lying next to the closet, she ran downstairs and opened the door. 

Instantly, her mouth dropped open in shock. She would have never expected the person that was on her doorstep with a backpack and a suitcase to show up there. "Casey Layne Montgomery, what the hell do you think you're doing here?" Her twenty-two-year-old lanky, sheepish-looking cousin was standing there and Sara was utterly clueless as to why.

"Umm, it's a long story, Sara. Maybe I should come in and tell you?"

The inherent grogginess that comes from three hours of sleep notwithstanding, Sara was bewildered. So, she did the one thing that made sense: She let Casey come inside.

Casey plopped straight down on the oversized couch after leaving her bags by the door. Sara knew by the look on her face that something major had happened. "Okay, explain yourself. Why are you here? And please use small words, Case, I'm exhausted. It's my one day off and you woke me up."

Casey took a deep breath and began. "I was going to college and I had a job. I paid rent at home, so I don't know why she did it, but my stepmother decided it was time for me to move out. Dad agreed with her, so they kicked me out of my house. At any rate, they gave me fair warning so I was able to get out with what I wanted. I just need a place to stay until I get back onto my feet. I'll only be here a few weeks at the most, I give my word. I mean it." She gave Sara the puppy-dog eyes that Sara knew usually got people what they wanted.

Sara sighed. Her own situation was going to require a little explanation and her sleep-deprived brain was not functioning well enough yet to give Casey a satisfactory response. "Look, Casey, I want to help you, I really do, but this is going to require a lot of thought. I'm glad you came all the way out here, but I'm not a single woman anymore. I want to help you, but I have to run it by my husband first."

"When did you get married?" Casey asked her, looking for the ring on her finger. Sara showed it willingly.

"About a month ago. It wasn't a big wedding." Sara allowed herself a little grin at the memory. "But enough about me. Do your parents know where you are now?"

"In case you haven't noticed, Sara, I am an adult now and I don't need my parents to know my every move like I'm some stupid little kid." Casey looked a little upset at the idea of her parents knowing where she was.

"Why don't you want them to know where you are? Didn't they ask where you were going to go?"

"Well…"Casey hesitated. "Okay, maybe they didn't kick me out. Maybe things were getting bad between me and my dear stepmother and stepsisters. I was starting to feel a little too much like Cinderella minus her Prince Charming. My ex-boyfriend suggested a way out and I took it. And though I did mention Vegas before I left…"

"You did WHAT?!?" Sara cut her off. "What were you thinking? You never mention Vegas while leaving with a guy. Your parents know I live out here. They'll somehow think this was my fault! Your dad will have my head if you end up married!" Sara paused a moment. "You didn't get married, did you?"

"No." Casey held up her hand, revealing a complete lack of a ring. "If you need to know, I broke up with him. He has no idea where I am and I don't particularly care where he is. He was a total jerk to me. He thought since I left with him…well, you should get the idea of what his real intentions were."

Sara patted her shoulder sympathetically. "I see. So if they didn't kick you out, do you want them to at least know that you're safe here with me?"

"Can you be the one to tell them that? I kind of don't want to talk to them." The expression that Casey had was one of nausea. "I don't want to have to tell them what hell I've been through in the past week."

"You're not pregnant, are you?" Sara asked, finally voicing her other concern.

Casey shook her head no. "No, I'm not. But I don't want to go home. If I go home, they'll drive me nuts and he'll come find me. And then the cycle will start all over again."

Sara put her arm around her cousin. "First, I have to call Gil and your parents, although I'm sure you'll be able to stay here. Then we can get you set up in the spare bedroom, okay?"

Casey truly smiled for what Sara suspected was the first time in a long time. "Thanks."

* * *

Okay, so how was it? Likey? No likey? Want more? Well, drop me a line 'cause I wanna know what you think; plus, there will be more to come! Life and parents have been throwing me some real obstacles regarding scholarships, jobs, and whatnot, so I don't know how soon the next chapter will come up. But it's when Casey meets the rest of the gang, so it should be fun. :) 


	2. Meet the Crew

Okay, here's round two! It came faster than I hoped. I'm really excited to see how much you all enjoy it and suggestions or comments are more than welcome. Oh, and since I overlooked it before, this is for the whole dang book…

Disclaimer: CSI is not mine. Never has been, never will be. The only thing I can claim is a certain character by the name of Casey Layne Montgomery.

* * *

Take My Hand

_Chapter 2: Meet the Crew_

"C'mon, Gil, it's just for a little while."

Casey could hear Sara pleading with her husband over the phone as she sat in the spare room. She frowned as she thought about the problems she was causing the two of them.

"She won't be here too long…no, she needs someplace to stay, and I'm not going to be the one to send her out on the streets of Vegas."

She pulled out a few of her knickknacks from her backpack. The first was the picture of her and her long-gone best friend, Faith, on their high-school graduation day. They were still dressed in those goofy caps and gowns with the silliest smiles on their faces. She had barely seen or heard from Faith since that day. The last she had heard, Faith was studying to become a doctor so that she could go take care of children in third-world countries. The next things she pulled out were the wooden cat, lion, raccoon, and bear that she had carved in an art class once upon a time. Lastly was her little silver jewelry box. That was her favorite possession because it contained so many memories of birthdays and Christmases and friends long gone.

Casey paused a moment and listened to Sara some more. "I won't send her home…She doesn't want to go back, so I won't make her…no, I already told you, I talked to her parents and they don't want her back either. They also said something about a transfer or something. I think she knew this was coming and she planned it. She needs to stay here...well, it's not my fault that you chose to go to this entomology conference in Florida and can't be here to decide things…Gil, please don't make her leave. Please."

She stopped listening again and started unpacking her spare changes of clothing and putting them into the dresser. Then she sat down on the bed and smoothed out the wrinkles on the bedspread. It was a nice room, cozy and dark, just the way she liked it; it was also completely different from the room she had shared with her younger stepsister Alicia, which was far too light, airy, and pink.

The knock on the door stopped her observations. "Come in," she sighed.

Sara entered. "Well, I talked to Gil, and he said you can stay."

Casey pumped her fist in the air. "Yes! I knew it!"

"I also talked to your parents. They said two weeks ago your transfer from USC to UNLV went through."

"I told you I was in college. I told you I that I don't intend to lay around the house all day. I want to do something with my life. I want to succeed, which is more than I can say for the rest of my family. Alicia's twenty and all she does is sleep all day and try to go clubbing. And Ashleigh's failing out of all her junior classes and it's only the first of October."

"So what are you studying to become?"

Casey could feel the blush rising in her cheeks. She was half-embarrassed, half- proud of what she wanted to be.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Sara encouraged her.

She took a deep breath. "I want to become a forensic investigator…like you." At the look on Sara's face, she stopped. "Don't laugh at me!"

"I'm not laughing, Case. I think that's awesome. Maybe I can get you a job at the crime lab. When are you graduating from college?"

"Hopefully by the end of this semester in December. I was hoping to get a job out here."

"Well, I can totally help you out with that." Sara smiled. "We're always looking for extra hands around the lab. I'm sure you'd fit in fine."

Casey smiled back at her. "Thanks, Sara."

* * *

The next night, Sara took Casey for a little tour of the lab. To Casey, it did not seem too much different than a classroom, except for the fact that it was dimmer and less roomy.

She happened to not notice people staring at her, especially some of the guys. Nick, Greg, and Warrick in particular stared at her while they were pretending to file some paperwork in Grissom's office.

Nick whistled as he stared out the open window. "Damn, she's too good looking to be a lab rat. Is she a newbie?"

Greg and Warrick both shrugged. "No clue," Warrick added.

"I think Grissom said Sara'd be bringing a possible newbie by. Didn't say much else, though," Greg chimed in.

"She looks too young for us, though, Nick." Warrick elbowed his friend. "She can't possibly be more than twenty-five."

Nick smirked. "Aw, but that's the perfect age for little Gregory here."

Greg had been gazing at her long, red hair in its ponytail as though he had never seen anything like it. The other two cracked up as he just kept staring at her like he was seeing a girl for the first time. He never even noticed them make fun of him; he was completely captivated by her.

Then Sara brought her by the office. "Oh, great, the guys are in here!" she said, and quickly they returned to filing their paperwork.

The door opened. "Hey, boys." Sara got their attention faster than usual. "This is Casey, my cousin. She might be a newbie here soon. Casey, meet Warrick Brown, Nick Stokes, and Greg Sanders."

They exchanged hellos, and Casey was glad to meet them, although she was a little shy and reserved towards them. She thought they seemed nice.

"She's…different," Nick said after she left.

"Yeah," Warrick agreed.

Greg refused to say anything. He was afraid the guys would laugh at him. He had never seen anyone as beautiful as her, but he thought that she was way out of his league. He assumed he would never have a chance with her…but that would never be a reason for him not to try. He hoped that someday she would fall for him.

The next person Casey met was Catherine, who immediately took her under her wing. Casey already looked up to her as a sort-of mom after only knowing her for five minutes; Catherine was happy that Sara had given her a place to stay.

* * *

Casey liked the lab. It felt safe and secure for some reason, and she liked the people who worked there. That one, Greg, was pretty cute…but no, she had definitely not come here to look for another boyfriend. She was still trying to adjust to being here and not having a boyfriend. He was good-looking, but probably way out of her league, since she was only a student and he was an actual CSI.

The drive home was actually quiet. She and Sara had hardly anything to say until they were almost home. "So, what'd you think of the lab?"

"It's cool," Casey said, not knowing what else to say. She stared out the window at the apparently bleak landscape. "I like the people who work there. They seem nice. What else is there to say, huh?" She smiled. "Are they fun to work with?"

"You'll have to tell me what it's like in the lab now." Sara smiled as well. "Congrats. I talked with some higher ups, and your interview is tomorrow at ten. I think you'll get the job, because I told them even though you were a student, your hours were flexible."

"Really?" Casey's face lit up like a sign on the strip. "Thanks, Sara!"

"No problem," Sara said as they pulled up to the driveway.

* * *

Well, you know the drill. Click that review button, please. Next chapter is going to be funny and may be up in a few days…or not. It all depends on what is going on in my hectic life. Oh, and congratulations to my boys' soccer team at school: they at least qualified for state, even if they did lose the hotly contested state game. They held the #1 team in the state at 0-0 for both halves and through double sudden-death overtime, only to lose the shootout. 


	3. Matchmaker, Matchmaker

Hah! I have conquered! I win! She cannot keep me down!

For those of you who didn't hear the news, my handwritten copy of chapters 3 and 4 was callously torn to bits by a teacher who wouldn't listen to me.

I know, it's been a little while, but this chapter was harder to write than expected, especially with the little delay that I had and the stupid writers' block that followed. So, without further ado…capitulo tres (that's Chapter 3 for you non-Spanish speakers)

* * *

Take My Hand

_Chapter 3: Matchmaker, Matchmaker_

Needless to say, Casey's interview went well, and she was hired on the spot. The next day, she settled in to life in the lab. Her schedule, though incredibly hectic and sleep-depriving, was one she was hoping to enjoy. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays she had various classes during the day at UNLV. Tuesdays and Thursdays she worked nights in the lab. Somehow, she managed to get Saturdays and Sundays off, although she realized that was probably because she was still a student and they thought she needed the time for homework and sleep.

She enjoyed getting to know the people she worked with, but at the same time, she kept her distance. The one person that she did not care to get to know was the one that she shared "office space" with.

"Hey, Casey," Hodges greeted her as she walked in the Thursday one week after she was hired. "How's it going?"

"Same as on Tuesday, Hodges. And no, I am not going to get a coffee with you after this shift. I have to go home and get a few hours of sleep before class." Casey sat down at her tiny desk, which was wedged between the wall and a filing cabinet, and glanced at her in-tray. It was almost overflowing with all kinds of paperwork. "Ew." She sighed. "It's going to be a very long night."

"Then maybe you'll need that coffee anyway." Hodges sounded, if anything, hopeful.

Casey rolled her eyes as she grabbed a pen from her pencil cup. He irritated her and he just never got the hints she dropped, either…and they had only been working together a few days! "Well, if I do, I don't think I'll get it with you," she muttered under her breath as she began filling out the form she pulled from the top of the stack.

A knock on the open door jolted her from her thoughts of a plot to suffocate Hodges with bendy straws and Kleenex. "Hey, Casey, got a minute?" Greg's voice called from the doorway.

"Sure." She swiveled her chair around to face him. "What's up?"

"Well, I have some evidence from that house fire last night that I need you to process." Greg held up a large evidence bag containing a red, partially burnt hoodie. "We found this on the property last night and were wondering if there was any trace of accelerants on it."

"Okay." She jumped up from her chair at once and walked with Greg to the lab.

"So, do you like it here?" he asked once they were clear of Hodges' prying ears.

She nodded. "Everyone's curious about that. I am really enjoying my life here in Vegas. It's much better than the life I had before."

"What did you have before?"

Casey felt like he was prying, although his tone suggested otherwise. "I just had a really bad family situation and other things going on and stuff. It's great here."

"What's the rest of your family like? Other than Sara, I mean?"

She hesitated. "My dad's great. He was all I had when my biological mom walked out on us. He got remarried to my stepmom when I was twelve. She had two girls, Alicia, who was ten, and Ashleigh, who was eight. They thought we'd just be the perfect little family and that we'd have the happily-ever-after fairy tale ending."

"And you didn't?" Greg sounded almost amused.

"No," Casey whispered, "we didn't. Everyone started acting like I was the servant, even Dad. And just because I have an IQ higher than Ashleigh and Alicia's combined didn't mean that I wanted to 'help them with their homework', either." She shuddered. "It's good to be here, like I said."

She left him at the lab door after taking the evidence bag from him. Casey was so confused about Greg. She wanted to be his friend, she really did.

But she was afraid that their friendship might turn into something that she wasn't ready for yet.

* * *

At the end of his shift, Greg smiled to himself, and not because he was getting off work. "Phase 1" of his "plan" seemed to be going well. At least, he thought to himself, she hasn't shot me down like Hodges yet. Casey was sort-of interested in him, he knew that much. And she seemed like she needed a friend who would just listen to her first. Maybe, just maybe, she would accept his invitation to dinner if he promised that it was just as friends. 

But he wanted to be certain she would accept. And to be certain, he needed inside information.

Luckily for him, Sara was just outside the locker room door, talking to Catherine. "Hey, Sara, can I talk to you?" he asked, hoping to draw her away from Catherine. He really hoped that the fewest number of people possible would find out about his "plan", and Catherine was unfortunately one of those people he hoped would not find out.

"Is it about a case, Greg?"

"Um…"Greg paused, afraid of how she might respond. "Well, not particularly, but I was hoping to ask you something."

Sara and Catherine both laughed. "If this is about Casey," Sara said, "you'd better rethink if you want to ask it or not."

"What do you mean?" Greg tried to act as nonchalant and unconcerned as possible.

Evidently, the two females saw right through it. "C'mon," Catherine laughed. "You think after Grissom and Sara slipped together under our noses I was going to just turn a blind eye to any of the rest of you? I'm trained to observe people, habits, and patterns for a living. I see the way you look at her."

"Oh," was all that Greg could respond. He could feel the blush rising in his cheeks and took a breath to steady himself. "Would she ever be interested in going to dinner with me…just as a friend, you know?"

Sara nearly cut him off. "Greg, you've only known her for about a week. Give her some time to adjust. I don't think she's ready for anything at all. And if Ecklie found out, you both would be in huge trouble."

"Right. See you later." Greg hurried off and left, hoping to hide his embarrassment.

* * *

"Casey's become quite the popular one already," Sara commented as soon as Greg was out of earshot. 

"What do you mean?" asked Catherine, instantly curious. "What's been going on?"

"She has her mother's good looks and her father's stubbornness, and the combination is making her very attractive to some of the guys. Hodges, Nick, Warrick… and now Greg." Sara grinned.

Catherine's eyebrows rose. "She's only been here a week! What'd you tell them?"

"To wait."

"Why?"

"Because she's only been here a week. She's not ready for a relationship, anyway. Not after her last boyfriend, from what I can tell. But give her a week or two more and I'm sure she'll be flirting with half of them. She's just not ready yet."

"Well, if you were to pick one of those four, who would it be? Who do you think would have the best chance with her?"

Sara snorted. "Hodges wouldn't have a chance even if hell froze over and pigs sprouted wings. And Nick and Warrick know that they're a little too old for her."

"So you think—?"

"Yup." Sara cracked a grin. "Greg's totally got the best chance with her…as long as Ecklie doesn't find out."

* * *

Okay, once again, the review button is begging to be clicked. Ideas, comments, and questions are always appreciated and encouraged. Chapter 4 coming soon...if said review button gets its wishes. It looks like it shall be a very interesting chapter indeed...stay tuned! 


	4. It's All Fair

Well, here I go again. This chapter was a bit hard for me to write; thank God I got through it. I hope you all enjoy the trouble I went through, because this chapter was more or less completely written until my teacher killed it. Actually, I should thank her because it evolved into something better. But enough about all that…on with the show!

* * *

Take My Hand

_Chapter 4: It's All Fair_

It was the eve of Casey's "one-month mark," as everyone at the lab called it, and Greg knew that his plan for the next day was foolproof. There was no way she would say no to the surprises he had in store for her. He was excited, but at the same time, utterly frightened.

What if his information was faulty? He could hardly bear the consequences if it was. He trusted his source, though, and knew that Casey would appreciate the lengths he had gone to for her. At least, he _hoped_ that she would appreciate it all.

* * *

Casey woke up on the afternoon of Thursday, November 1, with a smile on her face. Somehow, she knew that it was going to be a great day. It was about five o'clock, earlier than Sara and Grissom liked to wake up, but she liked to be up and at 'em before those two even thought about getting up. Besides, she always liked to be to work early in the hopes that they would let her go early so she could catch up on some sleep before her class the next morning. Her schedule had taken some getting used to, and she had been moody at first, but she had gotten through the worst of it and was functioning better.

She made herself a little BLT as a snack and sat down on the couch to watch some TV. One of the national news channels popped up when she turned it on. She settled in for a minute, even though she did not particularly care for CNN Headline News. Grissom and Sara did not have too many choices on cable, mainly because they hardly ever watched TV. It was pretty much either CNN or Spanish telenovelas, and she _really_ disliked soap operas, especially when she could hardly understand the language.

She would have headed out to work by the time five-thirty hit, but did not have her own car. She may have had a driver's license, but somehow she never felt comfortable asking Grissom or Sara if she could borrow one of their cars. She usually just took the bus or went in with Sara. The bus was option number one today.

She heard Sara and Grissom stirring upstairs and decided she was ready to go. She slipped on her shoes, grabbed her purse, and was out the door before Grissom and Sara came downstairs.

When she arrived at work, Casey was greeted with a lot of smiles and congratulations. She could hardly believe her luck; she was working with the nicest people on earth. When she reached her desk, however, she could not help but let out a groan. A gaudy "Congrats!" Mylar balloon floated above a black teddy bear and a bud vase containing a rose.

She picked up the card and had to stifle another groan. This garish display was all Hodges' design. She had to admit, she admired the man's efforts, but he had forgotten to get the whole story. He had never bothered to find out enough about her to know what she liked and what turned her off.

"Well?" Hodges spun around in his chair to face her, clearly pleased with himself. Like a begging puppy, he was expecting praise for what he had done. It was almost pitiable enough to make her laugh.

"Um, I appreciate the effort, but…" She paused, thinking about what she really wanted to say to him.

"But what?"

"Not to be rude, but I see three problems with it—problems you could have avoided if you had bothered to find out what I like."

"Why? What don't you like? What's wrong with it?" He seemed affronted, as if she had insulted him, and not the other way around.

She counted off on her fingers. "One: I think balloons are tacky and ridiculous. Two: some teddy bears are cheesy, and this is one of them. And three: I'm allergic to roses." She swept his gifts off the desk and into the wastebasket. "Sorry, Hodges, but if we were playing baseball, you would have just struck out." A wry smile crossed her face.

Hodges turned back to his computer, clearly sulking. A twinge of regret bored itself into her heartstrings: her intention had never been to hurt his feelings or damage his self-esteem. Yet she pushed these thoughts away as she walked over to the lab, praying that Hodges would stay away from her.

He stayed put in his chair, thankfully, and when she got to the lab, it was empty. She began running some evidence through the mass-spec machine when Greg tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and saw a huge box obscuring most of his torso. "Got a box of stuff for you to process," he stated.

"Great." She sighed and took the box from him. She peered inside and nearly dropped it when she saw its contents. "Greg! This isn't evidence!"

"I know." He laughed "Congrats, you've survived one month in the psych ward. You gonna take it all back to your desk or not?"

He escorted her back to her desk, where she unloaded the box. It contained a vase of bright lilies and orchids, a rather large box of chocolates, and a Build-A-Bear dressed like a magician—complete with his own little top hat, tuxedo, and magic wand. "I…I don't know what to say." She was fully aware that Hodges was shooting them both a toxic glare.

" 'Thank you' works fine," Greg admitted, grinning.

Casey's grin matched his. "Thank you." She paused, her head cocked in mock thoughtfulness. "So, who told you about all my favorite stuff, huh? Who told you that lilies and orchids are my favorite flowers? And that my dad used to buy me Build-A-Bears on special occasions? I want names!"

His grin changed back to his usual smirk. "Like a journalist, I have my confidential sources. I can't reveal them by law. So sorry."

She raised her eyebrows. "Oh, really? Well, the snitch could only be one of two people, one of whom is me, so just fess up and I won't have to give these back to you."

"Okay, you got me," he said. Casey was struck by how cute he looked when he smiled. "A little birdie named Sara told me."

Casey made a mental note never to tell Sara anything personal again. "Thanks anyway."

"You're welcome, and I hope you enjoy everything." Their eyes met, and the sincerity in his sent a shiver up Casey's spine. "See you later." Greg strolled out with his grin still etched on his face.

Casey could hardly help herself; she grinned to herself as she turned back to her now-colorful desk. His happiness was as contagious as the flu, although slightly more enjoyable.

* * *

Greg was happier than a cat in a birdcage as he headed into the locker room at the end of his shift. He could barely believe his luck. She had genuinely enjoyed his gift, and once again, he had scored some brownie points by just being his charming self. He whistled a lilting tune as he shoved his field vest back into his locker. This could be the beginning of a good relationship.

"Hey, Greg, I wanna talk to you." The voice, which came from behind him, was very familiar and annoying. He turned to face a very put-out Hodges, who looked akin to a miniature poodle who had just met up with a Doberman.

"Fire away, Hodges." Greg knew what was coming, so he was ready for it.

"How come you went for outside info? I mean, I got Casey a gift, too, but she hated it. Isn't it cheating to ask someone who knows her better what she likes?"

"Hodges, Hodges, Hodges." Greg shook his head, though his grin grew wider by the second. "I'm sorry for you, I really am. But haven't you ever heard that all's fair in love and war?" Laughing, he closed his locker and left a bewildered Hodges standing in his wake.

* * *

"Casey!"

She heard him call her name, and her heart did a little flip-flop. She was confused about her feelings for him. On the one hand, he made her happier than any guy she had ever known, besides her father. On the other, she was quite certain that she never wanted to fall in love with anyone again. She had her hand on the door when he called her name for a second time.

Casey turned to face him, her red ponytail bobbing as she walked over to him. "What is it now, Greg?" She hated that infuriating little smile of his in some ways, but it nevertheless captivated her attention. She forced herself to stop thinking about his lips, as pleasant as they were.

"I forgot to mention…there's a part two to your present."

"Okay, so bring it on."

"You'll accept it? Without even knowing what it is?" His smile grew ever wider. "How do you know you'll like it?"

"Just tell me." She sighed. Sometimes, the male species frustrated her so much. She was drained and simply wanted to go home and get some sleep before her class.

"You and I are going on a date Saturday night." He stated it as though it were fact, not a question that she should answer.

Casey was too tired to care about the alarm bells ringing in her head. "Whatever. Sure." She turned back to the door. "See you then."

* * *

Poor Hodges, I do feel sorry…but not too sorry. Now the plot starts to get fun. How will Casey and Greg's date go? Well, let's just say my plans may not be what you're thinking. In fact, I guarantee they probably won't be. Click the review button to offer suggestions as to how it should go and to tell me how this is going so far. 


	5. A First Date Distaster

Hey all, I finally got through some nasty writers' block. This chapter was all formed in my head, but I just couldn't get it onto paper. It just keeps getting more and more comical. I love it. Writers' block aside, this chapter has been the best one to write, and I think that the title is terribly clever. I hope you like it!

* * *

Take My Hand

_Chapter 5: A First-Date Disaster_

Saturday came, and Casey was beginning to regret her moment of weakness. Under normal circumstances, she was the stubborn one. She never usually gave in to guys' requests on the spot. But Greg somehow invalidated her usual attitude like negative numbers canceled out positive ones.

Sara and Grissom were both gone that Saturday, which was good for her. She was hoping to avoid any awkward questions, but at the same time, she wished Sara had asked who her date was. She wished that someone had asked what she was doing.

She heard a car pull up in the driveway and looked out the window. It was Greg. She gathered her purse and nearly tripped over herself as she ran out the door. As she got in his car, she realized that he had dressed up for the occasion. He was wearing a creamy white shirt and a dark-colored tie. His hair looked as if he had done more than simply take a comb to it. She could smell his cologne; it was subtle and seemingly just right for him. The effort he had put into his appearance made her smile.

"Hey." He greeted as soon as she was seated.

"Hey yourself. You look nice," she replied.

"Thanks."

"So, where are we going?" She was nonplussed by the fact that he had not returned her compliment. She thought that she looked terrible. Her hair had turned out frizzy and her makeup was a little splotchy because it was the wrong color. Still, a little part of her wished he had said something in return.

"You'll see," he replied slyly.

So _that_ was his game. "Not even a hint?" She teased him as he revved up the engine.

"Actually, I have two hints for you. One, it's a restaurant. Two, I hope you like tomatoes and garlic butter." He grinned as he began to drive away from the house.

* * *

Greg could barely believe his luck. The girl of his dreams was sitting next to him and he was about to take her out to her favorite restaurant, Olive Garden. He could barely speak; his mouth was too dry. However, she did not appear to be in a loquacious mood, either. Neither of them had said a word since their initial chatter.

He admitted to himself that she looked gorgeous, but he simply could not get the words out to let her know. Her long, red hair was plaited in a way he had never seen done before, except by some girls he had once seen at prom. She was wearing an ocean-blue top and a black skirt with a little bow at the waist. She looked…elegant.

He found himself daydreaming about how the date was going to go as he pulled up in the parking lot. He heard her squeal of happiness and knew that he was doing the right thing by taking her out to dinner. He prayed that she would enjoy it. Hopefully, everything was going to go well and as he had planned.

* * *

Casey liked the fact that Greg had picked Olive Garden. She did not know if he knew it was her favorite restaurant, but she was willing to bet that he had asked _someone_ for more information on her if he did. Still, she was quietly fuming inside about being tricked into this whole situation. She liked Greg, as a friend, and she could not even consider anything else at the moment. She would not let any other possibilities for the two of them enter her mind.

They were seated quickly and the waiter, Stephen, came and took their order. Casey ordered her favorite, the chicken parmigana, almost as soon as he asked. Greg took a little longer to figure his order out, but settled on the chicken marsala. They both dug in when the salad and breadsticks arrived.

"So…" Greg began nervously, clearing his throat. Casey chose not to respond. She halfheartedly listened as he told her about a new horror movie he had been to see. She was so busy noticing his physical features to hear anything he said. His hair was intriguing, and his lips…well, they took all her attention. She noticed, not necessarily for the first time, that he was very good looking.

"…and then the ghost comes out and kills everything. Have you seen it?" He finished.

"Um, no, I don't get to see movies much anymore, and don't you think we get enough horror at work?"

He chuckled. "Yeah, true, we do. But I like it. It's kind of funny when the psychos and the chainsaw murderers get away, because then we get to catch them."

"I don't think it's funny." She shuddered. "Horror drives me nuts. I'll take the suspense and creepy, crazy things happening to nice little families, but I'll pass on the blood, guts, and gore."

"What about chick flicks?"

She was quite sure that was his ultimate question, and had to think for a few moments before answering. "Well, there are a few good ones out there. Some of them bug me, but I am a hopeless romantic, so I love them…even when they all seem to follow the same plotline. I actually would rather see action-adventure or sci-fi than chick flicks."

* * *

Greg had gotten her right where he wanted her. "So, do you love romance?" He was pleased to watch the red flush rise slowly in her cheeks.

"Yes, I do."

"Actually, I do, too."

She laughed. "Yeah, right, I believe that," she retorted sarcastically. "All the guys that I know won't be caught dead watching that kind of stuff."

"I like the comedic romance. I'll pay good money to see it if it's funny and romantic."

"What kind of funny?"

Her question caught him off-guard. "What do you mean by that?"

"I mean, do you like the raunchy kind of humor, the accidental kind of humor, or will you laugh at anything?" She seemed so serious that he almost laughed at the irony of it all.

"I guess I laugh at just about everything," Greg finally answered

"Why?"

"Some situations are just really funny, others are awkward and you laugh just to break the tension that you feel about it."

She sighed. "You have a very good sense of humor. But what do you think about romance and love?"

"What?" Again, her question caught him unprepared.

"Do you buy out to the Hollywood hype of love or do you think that there is real love, where people have to struggle and work together to make things work right and relationships don't just fall into place perfectly?"

Her ideas blew him away. He had dated smart girls before, but she was…wise. That was the only word he could use to describe her. She had wisdom beyond her years, and it made her all the more attractive to him. "Yeah, I do believe that real love and romance exists. You have to look for it, but sometimes, I think it does come to you like they show on the big screen."

His comment made her blush all the more. "I wish I still did." She looked wistful as she muttered it under her breath.

"Why don't you anymore?"

She hastily changed the subject to music, but Greg filed away his question to ask her some other time.

* * *

On the outside, Casey smiled as Greg discussed the finer points of heavy metal bands, most of which she had never heard before. She could tell he loved that genre of music.

On the inside, she berated herself for setting herself up for his question. She was sure that she had not successfully deflected him from that subject.

"…and that's why I think they are the greatest band to ever have existed," he finished. "What do you listen to?"

"There's a lot of different things: classic rock, pop, a teeny bit of country, some jazz." She cocked an eyebrow as he let out a snort. "What? Do you find something about what I listen to funny?"

"No…but I never had you pegged as a classic rock kind of girl. Rap, maybe, but not rock."

"Ew." She crinkled her nose. "I always say that you can't spell crap without rap. Any sane lover of music would denounce _most_ rap as a poor excuse passing for music and a waste of air time on all radio stations. I will listen to anything at all over rap."

"Classical?"

"Duh, give me Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart over Eminem and his cronies any day."

"Even opera?" He grinned.

"If I need a nap and nothing else but rap is there, yes."

They both laughed. "So opera puts you to sleep?" He inquired.

"Only if I'm really tired. I sort of enjoy it. I love musicals more, though."

He looked around as his stomach growled. They had gone through two bowls of salad and three baskets of breadsticks. Why his stomach was growling, she could hardly fathom. "Wonder where our food is?"

"You ask too many questions." She shook her head.

"I'm a CSI. It's my job to ask questions," he stated proudly.

The waiter came up to their table with their food. Suddenly, he tripped, and the platter of chicken parmigana flew straight at Greg. Time seemingly slowed for those few seconds, then the red sauce, spaghetti noodles, and breaded chicken collided into Greg. She could hear the other restaurant patrons gasping and the waiter apologizing profusely, but nothing really entered her brain other than the look of total shock and embarrassment on Greg's face.

Casey wanted to laugh; he looked adorable, even with noodles hanging limply in his hair and red sauce dripping down his neck. However, the look on his face kept her from her laughter.

* * *

Greg felt heat rising up as the waiter apologized. He thought it might have been because the sauce was hotter than Hades, but he was fairly certain it was because he was burning with embarrassment.

He looked across the table at Casey. She looked as though she was trying to suppress a laugh. It made him all the more upset, all the more embarrassed. He could not even hear the waiter's frantic apologies or the shocked gasps coming from observers. He was fuming now.

This was not part of his plan.

* * *

A/N: Well, it's done. Hope you laughed. I know I cracked up when I thought of it. And, as a bit of practical advice, never wear a white shirt to an Italian restaurant. You never know what may happen! 


	6. Second Chances

Woo-hoo! I am out of high school! So sorry this chapter took so long, but I was trying to make it perfect. That, and I had graduation, an international mission trip, and a full-time job all summer that sucked the fun out of my life. That's why I haven't written anything or more than glanced at a few fics this summer. Special thanks to my best friend Jess for the "funny-looking" joke that I use in this chapter; she tends to use it on me a lot, so it's about time I used it in a storyline.

* * *

_Take My Hand_

Chapter 6—Second Chances

Greg had never cried like this before. As soon as he dropped Casey off, he started bawling. His favorite shirt—completely ruined! His chances of going on a date again with the prettiest girl he had ever met were something that not even a Vegas novice gambler would bet on. He knew he had blown it--although, he had to admit, it had not been his fault.

Well, he supposed he deserved his shirt being ruined. It had been pretty poor planning on his part going to an Italian restaurant in a white shirt. He had been asking for an accident there. What hurt even more than the slight burns from the hot tomato sauce was the cold, hard fact: he had lost her. She was out of his reach, and would probably never date an idiot like him again.

* * *

Casey knew that Greg was fuming that she had almost laughed at him. She wondered if they would ever talk to one another again. It had been awkward on both sides, she realized, but she _had_ enjoyed the dinner. It had been nice getting to know Greg, finding out what was really behind the cute face. Perhaps some other time, she hoped, they could get together and do something else. Maybe go see a movie or go to a concert or something _not_ as awkward.

"How was your evening?" Sara asked, interrupting her thoughts of other possible dates with Greg.

"Fine…it was good."

"Why are you back so early? Gil and I thought you wouldn't be back until much later."

"Um, my date had to go home and change his shirt." Casey giggled. "The klutz of a waiter killed it with marinara sauce."

Sara managed a smile at that. "And your date's name would be?"

"Sorry. I can't trust you any more. I know you leak stuff."

"Not even a hint?"

"You're a CSI, so if you really want to know, you'll probably have to do some investigating. Trust me, I'm sure you'll figure it out." Casey left Sara and went upstairs, grinning all the more.

* * *

For the next week, Greg was unable to catch her eye at work. All he ever saw was a smirk on her face; all he heard was a short laugh. Then, on Friday after his shift, he found a note in his locker that changed his world.

_I believe in second chances. If you do too, then take me on another date and we'll see if we were really meant to be. P.S.—I love the fact that you make me laugh like no one else ever could._

He piled all his stuff into his locker, smiling for the first time in a week. The note lay unnoticed on the bench next to him; so unnoticed, in fact, that he never saw the two guys who picked it up and began to read it. He finally spotted them, but the damage had been done. It was too late.

His ears began to burn as he spun to face Nick and Warrick. "You know, I'm pretty sure it's illegal to read someone else's mail."

This just made Nick and Warrick laugh. "Ooooh, someone's got the hots for Greg!" Nick punched Greg on the shoulder after he finally stopped laughing. "She likes you, she likes you, SHE LIKES YOU!"

"Does not," Greg mumbled. "She just said she's willing to give me a second chance, that's all. That, and she thinks that I'm funny."

"Yeah…funny-looking!" Warrick's comment sent them into spasms of laughter again.

"Shut up! At least I had a date, as opposed to the two of you who sat home watching the latest Hallmark channel movie together."

_That_ shut them both up almost instantaneously. "Now, swear to me that you won't tell a soul about this or else I'll tell Grissom what I caught you two looking up in his office."

Nick and Warrick made themselves scarce.

* * *

Casey woke up to her phone ringing on Saturday afternoon; the number looked vaguely familiar. She answered anyway. "Hello?"

"Casey? It's Greg."

"Yeah..."

"Thanks for the note…do you want to go on another date tonight?"

"Tonight? Well, I don't have anything planned." She checked her watch. It was already 4:35. "In fact, you woke me up."

"I'm sorry." He was sincere. "I'll pick you up at five."

"Are we going back to Olive Garden?"

"No. This time, it really is a surprise." She could hear the barely-concealed glee in his voice. "But you can dress up nice if you want to."

"This better not be a horror movie, Greg, or I swear, I'm going to kill you."

He laughed. "Hollow threat when it's coming from one CSI to another."

That got her laughing as well. "I'll see you soon."

"Bye."

She jumped out of bed and frantically started getting ready. After all, she had only about 20 minutes left.

* * *

Greg noticed that Casey was looking a little frazzled as she climbed into his car. "Where are we going?" she asked right off the bat.

"You'll see." It was starting to sound like their first date all over again; however, they were able to chat this time. When Greg pulled up in front of an apartment complex, he was pleased to note the look of utter bewilderment on her face. "I hope you don't mind, but dinner will be here tonight."

"Is this…your apartment?" The pieces of the puzzle finally fell into place as he led her up the stairs. He even held the door open for her like a true gentleman.

"Yep. I love it; it's comfy."

The living room was occupied by a big-screen TV; an oversized, squashy-looking couch; and a coffee table littered with newspapers. It was darkened by the blackout drapes in front of the sliding glass door which led out to the balcony. She looked over to the little kitchen next. The small table was set for two.

"Let's just hope you can cook like a pro," she commented as he seated her at the table.

"Spaghetti and meatballs a la Greg puts Emeril to shame, sweetheart." He grinned, but mentally smacked himself for calling her that—until he saw that she was grinning as well.

"Well, it isn't a five-star restaurant, but I suppose it'll do," she sighed fakely.

The dinner was ready sooner than she expected, and he served her a heaping portion of spaghetti. She topped it off with just the right amount of sauce and meatballs. "Enjoy," Greg said as he sat down and began serving himself.

* * *

It was a delicious dinner. In Casey's opinion, it was every bit as good as his boasting. She let him know it, too.

"Yeah, Prego from the can works miracles…just kidding!" Greg added at the look on her face. "It's my family's secret recipe. I thought you'd appreciate a real meal. I mean, living with Grissom and all, I was hoping that an actual home-cooked dinner might mean something."

"Thanks. It does. Sara and Gil don't cook much; they usually just order out." She dug in with more gusto. "And I can only eat Chinese and pizza so much before it starts to get really gross."

He laughed and the dinner continued as if they were two old friends catching up on everything. After dinner, they watched some TV. Casey was unwilling to admit it to herself, but she wanted to spend as much time as possible with Greg. It felt so _natural_ to be with him. They ended up having a debate about Animal Planet and Discovery Channel and educational programming, which ended when Casey admitted that shows about animals had to be more fun than educational.

* * *

The drive back to Grissom and Sara's place was too short for Greg. He had such a good time when he was with her, and he wanted to spend as much time with her as possible. Even as they pulled up in front of the house, he had trouble letting her get out of the car. Everything had gone right for once.

He wanted to kiss her so badly; every nerve in his whole body begged him to kiss her. But he resisted. He could tell that Casey was definitely not ready for that step quite yet. Hopefully, someday she would be, but he knew that now was not the time and respected it.

Still, that fact would not drive the pang of longing out of the pit of his stomach.

* * *

Casey knew that Gil and Sara were either asleep or out at work, so she entered the house quietly. The only light on in the house was the blue of the TV screen in the living room. When she came in, she found Sara sitting on the couch, holding the phone to her ear and looking more worried than Casey had ever seen her before.

"…Oh, wait, she just walked in. Thank God. Yeah, I know, I shouldn't have gotten so worked up. I'll make sure I talk to her about it. Bye." Sara hung up and rounded on Casey. "Where were you?"

"If I wanted an interrogation, I would have stayed in Cali with my parents," Casey answered icily. "I was on a date, and it's only…" She glanced at her watch. "Ten-thirty. Come on, Sara, it's not like I'm out all night partying on the Strip. I just went to dinner with a friend and stayed at his house to watch some TV with him. He got me back here pretty quickly, too."

"I'm not mad. It's just…Gil went out on call and I was worried when you didn't come down for dinner. I must've called your cell phone a dozen times."

"Oops." Casey blushed. "I turned it off as soon as he picked me up. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. It was a last-minute thing."

"So…" Sara changed the subject. "What is this guy's name? Seriously, I want to know all about him."

"Geez, could you be any more like a mom? He's a nice guy, a real gentleman."

"You could tell me now."

"Only if you swear not to tell a soul."

Sara grinned. "You don't need to tell. I have a good guess."

"Who, then?"

"Gregory Sanders."

Casey's mouth dropped open. "You're good," she finally managed to answer.

"Don't worry, I won't tell a soul. I know what you're going through right now—more so because Gil was my supervisor, not just a coworker. Is it going to get serious between the two of you?"

"I don't know." Casey shivered at the thought of the options before her. Decision-making had never been one of her favorite things to do. "I…part of me hopes it is. Part of me still isn't ready for anything like this yet."

"Why?"

"I—I don't feel ready to talk about it yet."

Sara welcomed her over onto the couch. "I know what you mean. Well, I'm sorry for the crap earlier, I was just really worried."

Casey patted Sara on the shoulder. "You don't need to worry too much about me. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself."

Sara blanched. "That's why I worry."

* * *

A/N: Longest…chapter…ever. Well, at least that I've written so far. It was nine pages typed. I hope you enjoyed it. Feedback, please, as well as comments on what you think may be coming in the future. I foresee a first kiss…


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